Brett Amerson appears in a mugshot from December 2018. (Cullman County Sheriff’s Office)
An Alabama man will spend the rest of his life in prison over a fatal hit-and-run that took the life of a beloved motorcyclist.
Brett Amerson, 59, was convicted in late April on one count of reckless murder over the Dec. 18, 2018 death of Bradley Ray Patterson, 39, according to The Cullman Times.
Citing the Cullman County District Attorney’s Office, the paper reported that Amerson was behind the wheel of a box truck on the day in question – and that he would later test for a blood-alcohol level that was at least three times the legal limit. Patterson had the right of way when he was struck by the large white truck and killed on Alabama State Route 157 near the 310 exit overpass.
Multiple witnesses said the box truck veered over the median near Interstate 65 in Cullman, hit the biker, then fled the scene, according to Birmingham-based ABC affiliate WBMA.
Amerson was found and arrested some 21 miles south by Cullman County Sheriff’s deputies. A breathalyzer resulted in an initial charge of felony DUI. The charge was later substantially upgraded.
Cullman County Circuit Judge Martha Williams sentenced Amerson to 131 years in prison on Tuesday. He will receive credit for four-and-a-half years served while in pretrial detention.
At the time of his arrest, the defendant was on probation after taking a plea deal on an attempted murder charge from 2016, when he was accused of fired a gun at another man. Under the terms of that deal, Amerson pleaded guilty to shooting into an occupied dwelling in exchange for three years of probation, WBMA reported.
But the defendant also had an extensive criminal history related to his prior drunk driving dating back to 1998: Amerson had been arrested 11 times and convicted twice for DUI-related offenses.
“The evidence at trial proved the defendant was triple-drunk and driving recklessly when the crash happened,” Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker said at the time of his conviction, according to The Cullman Tribune. “I am also so proud we achieved justice for the family of Bradley Patterson.”
The victim left behind several family members, including two teenage children.
“It’s lonely,” Patterson’s grandmother, Doris Harris, told WBMA. “We miss him but we know he’s better off.”
“Everyday that I woke up so far I’ve been thinking it’s just been a dream this whole time and I’ll eventually just, you know, finally wake up and everything will be back to normal,” Patterson’s brother, Brian Patterson, told the TV station.
During sentencing, prosecutors pushed for a harsh punishment, citing the defendant’s “egregious crime and lengthy criminal history,” according to a courtroom report by the Birmingham News.
“He did own up to what had taken place and did express some remorse when he found out Mr. Patterson had passed away,” Cullman Police Lt. Jeffery Warnke told WBMA at time of the defendant’s arrest in 2018. “It’s very frustrating. We do our job. We are a small part of the criminal justice system. We do our job and then it’s up to the courts after that.”
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